No Alliance With Prakash Ambedkar, Raj Thackeray In Maharashtra: Congress

Putting speculation to rest, Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said his party will not have any kind of alliance with either the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for the assembly elections to be held on October. 

Speaking to The Times Of India, Thorat said that there was absolutely no possibility of an alliance with either the VBA or MNS.

“The Congress screening committee led by Jyotiraditya Scindia met in New Delhi on Friday. There was no discussion on an alliance with VBA and MNS, so the Congress and NCP will contest the ensuing elections jointly, and we will adjust the smaller parties,” the newspaper quoted Thorat as saying.

Thorat added that out of the total 288 seats, the Congress will contest on 110, the NCP 105, and a decision on the remaining 73 seats will be taken soon. 

“The Congress and the NCP will ensure that adequate representation is given to smaller parties, including the Peasants and Workers Party, RPI (Gavai and Kawade), Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Raju Shetti-led Shetkari Sanghatana and Left parties,” he said.

“All the 215 seats have been identified. The Congress may come out with the final list of nominees for its 110 seats by September 10. A final decision will be taken by the Central Election Committee led by Congress president Sonia Gandhi,” Thorat said.

In the 2014 elections, the BJP came to power by winning 122 seats in the 288-member Assembly. The BJP's ally Shiv Sena won 62 seats. The Congress and the NCP bagged 42 and 41 seats, respectively.